michael strogoff-第19节

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〃I　will　go　on　foot；〃　replied　Michael；　interrupting　the　iemschik。

〃I　will　go；　too；　brother；〃　said　the　young　girl。

〃No；　remain　here；　Nadia。　　The　iemschik　will　stay　with　you。
I　do　not　wish　to　leave　him　alone。〃

〃I　will　stay；〃　replied　Nadia。

〃Whatever　happens；　do　not　leave　this　spot。〃

〃You　will　find　me　where　I　now　am。〃

Michael　pressed　her　hand；　and；　turning　the　corner　of　the　slope；
disappeared　in　the　darkness。

〃Your　brother　is　wrong；〃　said　the　iemschik。

〃He　is　right；〃　replied　Nadia　simply。

Meanwhile　Strogoff　strode　rapidly　on。　　If　he　was　in　a　great　hurry
to　aid　the　travelers；　he　was　also　very　anxious　to　know　who　it
was　that　had　not　been　hindered　from　starting　by　the　storm；
for　he　had　no　doubt　that　the　cries　came　from　the　telga；
which　had　so　long　preceded　him。

The　rain　had　stopped；　but　the　storm　was　raging　with　redoubled　fury。
The　shouts；　borne　on　the　air；　became　more　distinct。
Nothing　was　to　be　seen　of　the　pass　in　which　Nadia　remained。
The　road　wound　along；　and　the　squalls；　checked　by　the　corners；
formed　eddies　highly　dangerous；　to　pass　which；　without　being
taken　off　his　legs；　Michael　had　to　use　his　utmost　strength。

He　soon　perceived　that　the　travelers　whose　shouts　he　had　heard
were　at　no　great　distance。　　Even　then；　on　account　of　the　darkness；
Michael　could　not　see　them；　yet　he　heard　distinctly　their　words。

This　is　what　he　heard；　and　what　caused　him　some　surprise：
〃Are　you　coming　back；　blockhead？〃

〃You　shall　have　a　taste　of　the　knout　at　the　next　stage。〃

〃Do　you　hear；　you　devil's　postillion！　　Hullo！　　Below！〃

〃This　is　how　a　carriage　takes　you　in　this　country！〃

〃Yes；　this　is　what　you　call　a　telga！〃

〃Oh；　that　abominable　driver！　　He　goes　on　and　does　not　appear
to　have　discovered　that　he　has　left　us　behind！〃

〃To　deceive　me；　too！　　Me；　an　honorable　Englishman！　　I　will　make
a　complaint　at　the　chancellor's　office　and　have　the　fellow　hanged。〃

This　was　said　in　a　very　angry　tone；　but　was　suddenly　interrupted
by　a　burst　of　laughter　from　his　companion；　who　exclaimed；
〃Well！　this　is　a　good　joke；　I　must　say。〃

〃You　venture　to　laugh！〃　said　the　Briton　angrily。

〃Certainly；　my　dear　confrere；　and　that　most　heartily。
'Pon　my　word　I　never　saw　anything　to　come　up　to　it。〃

Just　then　a　crashing　clap　of　thunder　re…echoed　through　the　defile；
and　then　died　away　among　the　distant　peaks。　　When　the　sound
of　the　last　growl　had　ceased；　the　merry　voice　went　on：
〃Yes；　it　undoubtedly　is　a　good　joke。　　This　machine　certainly
never　came　from　France。〃

〃Nor　from　England；〃　replied　the　other。

On　the　road；　by　the　light　of　the　flashes；　Michael　saw；　twenty　yards
from　him；　two　travelers；　seated　side　by　side　in　a　most　peculiar　vehicle；
the　wheels　of　which　were　deeply　imbedded　in　the　ruts　formed　in　the　road。

He　approached　them；　the　one　grinning　from　ear　to　ear；　and　the　other
gloomily　contemplating　his　situation；　and　recognized　them　as　the　two
reporters　who　had　been　his　companions　on　board　the　Caucasus。

〃Good…morning　to　you；　sir；〃　cried　the　Frenchman。　　〃Delighted　to　see
you　here。　　Let　me　introduce　you　to　my　intimate　enemy；　Mr。　Blount。〃

The　English　reporter　bowed；　and　was　about　to　introduce　in　his　turn
his　companion；　Alcide　Jolivet；　in　accordance　with　the　rules　of　society；
when　Michael　interrupted　him。

〃Perfectly　unnecessary；　sir；　we　already　know　each　other；
for　we　traveled　together　on　the　Volga。〃

〃Ah；　yes！　exactly　so！　　Mr。〃

〃Nicholas　Korpanoff；　merchant；　of　Irkutsk。　　But　may　I　know
what　has　happened　which；　though　a　misfortune　to　your　companion；
amuses　you　so　much？〃

〃Certainly；　Mr。　Korpanoff；〃　replied　Alcide。　　〃Fancy！　our　driver
has　gone　off　with　the　front　part　of　this　confounded　carriage；
and　left　us　quietly　seated　in　the　back　part！　　So　here　we
are　in　the　worse　half　of　a　telga；　no　driver；　no　horses。
Is　it　not　a　joke？〃

〃No　joke　at　all；〃　said　the　Englishman。

〃Indeed　it　is；　my　dear　fellow。　　You　do　not　know　how　to　look
at　the　bright　side　of　things。〃

〃How；　pray；　are　we　to　go　on？〃　asked　Blount。

〃That　is　the　easiest　thing　in　the　world；〃　replied　Alcide。　　〃Go　and
harness　yourself　to　what　remains　of　our　cart；　I　will　take　the　reins；
and　call　you　my　little　pigeon；　like　a　true　iemschik；　and　you　will　trot
off　like　a　real　post…horse。〃

〃Mr。　Jolivet；〃　replied　the　Englishman；　〃this　joking　is　going　too　far；
it　passes　all　limits　and〃

〃Now　do　be　quiet；　my　dear　sir。　　When　you　are　done　up；　I　will　take
your　place；　and　call　me　a　broken…winded　snail　and　faint…hearted
tortoise　if　I　don't　take　you　over　the　ground　at　a　rattling　pace。〃

Alcide　said　all　this　with　such　perfect　good…humor　that　Michael　could
not　help　smiling。　　〃Gentlemen；〃　said　he；　〃here　is　a　better　plan。
We　have　now　reached　the　highest　ridge　of　the　Ural　chain；
and　thus　have　merely　to　descend　the　slopes　of　the　mountain。
My　carriage　is　close　by；　only　two　hundred　yards　behind。
I　will　lend　you　one　of　my　horses；　harness　it　to　the　remains
of　the　telga；　and　to…mor…how；　if　no　accident　befalls　us；
we　will　arrive　together　at　Ekaterenburg。〃

〃That；　Mr。　Korpanoff；〃　said　Alcide；　〃is　indeed　a　generous　proposal。〃

〃Indeed；　sir；〃　replied　Michael；　〃I　would　willingly　offer　you　places
in　my　tarantass；　but　it　will　only　hold　two；　and　my　sister　and　I
already　fill　it。〃

〃Really；　sir；〃　answered　Alcide；　〃with　your　horse　and　our　demi…telga
we　will　go　to　the　world's　end。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　Harry　Blount；　〃we　most　willingly　accept　your　kind　offer。
And；　as　to　that　iemschik〃

〃Oh！　　I　assure　you　that　you　are　not　the　first　travelers　who　have　met
with　a　similar　misfortune；〃　replied　Michael。

〃But　why　should　not　our　driver　come　back？　　He　knows　perfectly
well　that　he　has　left　us　behind；　wretch　that　he　is！〃

〃He！　　He　never　suspected　such　a　thing。〃

〃What！　the　fellow　not　know　that　he　was　leaving　the　better　half
of　his　telga　behind？〃

〃Not　a　bit；　and　in　all　good　faith　is　driving　the　fore
part　into　Ekaterenburg。〃

〃Did　I　not　tell　you　that　it　was　a　good　joke；　confrere？〃　cried　Alcide。

〃Then；　gentlemen；　if　you　will　follow　me；〃　said　Michael；
〃we　will　return　to　my　carriage；　and〃

〃But　the　telga；〃　observed　the　Englishman。

〃There　is　not　the　slightest　fear　that　it　will　fly　away；　my　dear　Blount！〃
exclaimed　Alcide；　〃it　has　taken　such　good　root　in　the　ground；
that　if　it　were　left　here　until　next　spring　it　would　begin　to　bud。〃

〃Come　then；　gentlemen；〃　said　Michael　Strogoff；　〃and　we　will　bring
up　the　tarantass。〃

The　Frenchman　and　the　Englishman；　descending　from　their　seats；　no　longer
the　hinder　one；　since　the　front　had　taken　its　departure；　followed　Michael。

Walking　along；　Alcide　Jolivet　chattered　away　as　usual；
with　his　invariable　good…humor。　〃Faith；　Mr。　Korpanoff；〃
said　he；　〃you　have　indeed　got　us　out　of　a　bad　scrape。〃

〃I　have　only　done；　sir；〃　replied　Michael；　〃what　anyone　would
have　done　in　my　place。〃

〃Well；　sir；　you　have　done　us　a　good　turn；　and　if　you　are　going
farther　we　may　possibly　meet　again；　and〃

Alcide　Jolivet　did　not　put　any　direct　question　to　Michael
as　to　where　he　was　going；　but　the　latter；　not　wishing　it　to　be
suspected　that　he　had　anything　to　conceal；　at　once　replied；
〃I　am　bound　for　Omsk；　gentlemen。〃

〃Mr。　Blount　and　I；〃　replied　Alcide；　〃go　where　danger　is　certainly
to　be　found；　and　without　doubt　news　also。〃

〃To　the　invaded　provinces？〃　asked　Michael　with　some　earnestness。

〃Exactly　so；　Mr。　Korpanoff；　and　we　may　possibly　meet　there。〃

〃Indeed；　sir；〃　replied　Michael；　〃I　have　little　love　for　cannon…balls
or　lance　points；　and　am　by　nature　too　great　a　lover　of　peace　to　venture
where　fighting　is　going　on。〃

〃I　am　sorry；　sir；　extremely　sorry；　we　must　only　regret　that　we　shall
separate　so　soon！　　But　on　leaving　Ekaterenburg　it　may　be　our　fortunate
fate　to　travel　together；　if　only　for　a　few　days？〃

〃Do　you　go　on　to　Omsk？〃　asked　Michael；　after　a　moment's　reflection。

〃We　know　nothing　as　yet；〃　replied　Alcide；　〃but　we　shall
certainly　go　as　far　as　Ishim；　and　once　there；　our　movements
must　depend　on　circumstances。〃

〃Well　then；　gentlemen；〃　said　Michael；　〃we　will　be　fellow…travelers
as　far　as　Ishim。〃

Michael　would　certainly　have　preferred　to　travel　alone；　but　he　could　not；
without　appearing　at　least　singular；　seek　to　separate　himself
from　the　two　reporters；　who　were　taking　the　same　road　that　he　was。
Besides；　since　Alcide　and　his　companion　intended　to　make　some　stay
at　Ishim；　he　thought　it　rather　convenient　than　otherwise　to　make
that　part　of　the　journey　in　their　company。

Then　in　an　indifferent　tone　he　asked；　〃Do　you　know；　with　any　certainty；
where　this　Tartar　invasion　is？〃

〃Indeed；　sir；〃　replied　Alcide；　〃we　only　know　what　they　said
at　Perm。　　Feofar…Khan's　Tartars　have　invaded　the　whole　province
of　Semipolatinsk；　and　for　some　days；　by　forced　marches；
have　been　descending　the　Irtish。　　You　must　hurry　if　you　wish
to　get　to　Omsk　before　them。〃

〃Indeed　I　must；〃　replied　Michael。

〃It　is　reported　also　that　Colonel　Ogareff　has　succeeded　in　passing
the　frontier　in　disguise；　and　that　he　will　not　be　slow　in　joining
the　Tartar　chief　in　the　revolted　country。〃

〃But　how　do　they　know　it？〃　asked　Michael；　whom　this　news；
more　or　less　true；　so　directly　concerned。

〃Oh！　as　these　things　are　always　known；〃　replied　Alcide；
〃it　is　in　the　air。〃

〃Then　have　you